Roles

Day 1 - Afternoon

It is a very distinct tribute to be chosen as the friend and confidant of a cat.

H. P. Lovecraft

We had apparently arrived at our destination. The entire descent was imperceptible to me, however Darwin was disconnecting his claws from the leather seat and stretching. Mr. Jones continued to work at her terminal for a few seconds, then rose and came around the desk. She was all business now.

I got up and we made our way to the door. Mr. Jones took one look at Darwin's handiwork and informed me that the reupholstering costs were come out of my fee. I looked reprovingly at my friend, who for his part made no apology for having secured himself to an expensive chair. That kind of self confidence was contagious and I steeled myself for what was to come.

I had no idea what I was into and was now completely under Mr. Jones' control. I couldn't even get out of this building without her help. I would have to try to reverse our positions, somehow. I needed to regain control here. This was her domain, and she was only going to give me enough information so that she could remain in control of the situation. I couldn't do my job properly with restraints.

I stooped down and looked Darwin in his elegant face... "Behave yourself here. I need information, and this is the only place to get it. I can't afford for things to go wrong."

Darwin rarely vocalized. His communications were usually limited to glances and glares. This time Darwin responded. He looked up at me and meowed. I got the message though and stood back up muttering, "It is NOT always my fault."

By this time Mr. Jones had left her office was was standing in what appeared for all the world to be a normal business center. Rows of cubicles were arranged in the middle of the room while the standard collection of business machines and meeting rooms lined the walls.

Dozens of people were at their desks or moving purposefully from one station to another. A few people passed by us, nodding to Mr. Jones or providing a 'Sir' by way of greeting. They didn't look at me at all. And of course, Darwin had already disappeared, conducting his own investigation.

Waiting for us was an interesting collection of personnel. There was a young man, mid 30's with an all-too eager to please expression on his face. Next to him stood a striking older woman, from whom an air of quiet self-confidence flowed. I felt a little more stable just being around her.

These two were flanked by what I assumed were company security. The were dressed in standard black gear, their weapons holstered, wearing black helmets and faceplates. The tall thin one appeared to be a junior officer, based on the insignia on his helmet and shoulders, while the shorter, stockier man had a captains bars.

"McTavish." Mr Jones said.

The older woman silently handed over a tablet, which Mr. Jones scanned quickly. "Clear my 4 o'clock." Then handed the tablet back. McTavish just nodded and began tapping the tablet quickly and efficiently.

"Mendez will take you to Leena's desk," Mr. Jones offered. At this, Mendez flashed a nervous look at me, then back to Mr. Jones, giving her an almost imperceptible nod.

"If you told me what you were looking for, this could go much more quickly," Mendez whined to me.

"I don't know what I am looking for yet, because I don't know what is there and what is missing."

This earned me a looks usually reserved for charlatans and palm-readers. I ignored it and continued to scan the office for a vantage point. There was a small four person conference room in one corner with the typical glass walls to make it feel bigger. I find it strange that despite our ability to build massive space stations and travel millions of miles between the three planets, we still insist on creating cramped working and living spaces.

"I will need a terminal, some paper and pens, and that room," I said, indicating the glass cage.

"Fine."

Mr. Jones nodded to Mendez, who seems surprised by the attention. She turned back to me, but I was on my way to the conference room, walking purposefully. I nodded occasionally to the confused workers who passed me on my way.

I opened the door to the conference room, looked it over, and said over my shoulder to Mr. Jones, who I had hoped had rushed to catch up with me, "This will do. Have two of the chairs removed, then meet me in here in 15 minutes. I will begin the interviews after that."

I walked through the door, letting it close automatically behind me, cutting off her "What the hell?" mid-sentence. I rearranged two of the chairs, pushing the others towards the door. Sitting myself across the desk, I was in a position to see and be seen. I pulled out my portable com unit and made a show of checking messages.

In a few moments, Mendez walked in, supplies in arm. Before he could put down his load, I asked "What's your name, son?"

He blinked a moment. "S-Steward, sir. Steward Mendez."

"Well then, Mr. Mendez, it is customary to knock before entering an occupied office, is it not?"

Mendez was embarrassed, clearly surprised at my assumption of authority. "Yes, sir. Sorry sir."

"I see," was my only reply. He passed me the terminal and the other supplies and made to leave.

"Mr. Mendez," I said.

He turned, growing more ill at ease. "Yes, sir?"

"I have not dismissed you yet." He stood there, confused.

I turned on my terminal and scanned a few lines. "Ah, there we are. I see that I will be meeting with you at 4:45 this afternoon. If you would be so kind to clear about, oh," I looked back at the terminal. "I see, about 15 minutes from your schedule. Be punctual, if you would. You may go."

Mendez, fear beginning to mix with confusion, opened the door and was part-way through when I called out again.

"Mr. Mendez"

"Sir?" he said, clearly wishing this unexpected ordeal would end.

"The chairs?"

"The chairs, sir?"

I nodded to the two extra chairs that I had set aside. "Would you be so kind to remove the chairs?"

"W-where would you like me to put them sir?" he was now completely disoriented, no longer able to even make the simplest decision.

I paused and looked at him steadily. "I see. Back to the supply room, son. Is that not where surplus is stored?"

"Yes, sir. Thank you, sir," he said, grateful for any clear instruction regarding his duties.

He had just struggled through the door with the chairs, sweat beading on his forehead, as Mr. Jones walked into the office, door closing behind her.

She was going for the only other chair in the office, still not sure of my play here.

"Wait, stand there for a moment."

"Why? Do you finally see something you like?"

"We need to create the illusion of authority. I want your people to be more afraid of me than they are of you. I want them so distracted by what is going on in this office that they forget that they have something to hide." During all of this I was pointing out onto the floor then back to her. Finally I pointed to the chair and said, "I think your staff has seen enough of us now to establish that I am your superior. You can go ahead and sit down."

She was furious, but since her back was to the office, no-one shared the heat of her rage with me. "If you ever embarrass me like that again, I will have your neck. I am serious, Friedman. My position here matters to me. A lot. Don't risk my retribution."

She took the seat, and I bent to my terminal. I looked back up at her and intermittently made some written notes.

"I am going to need to see each of the employees who may have worked with Leena. Start with the kindest, gentlest worker you have. I will need to set the tone early."

"What's your game, Finder. I could have just taken you to her desk."

"That is not my way. If you want her Found, I will need to sift through the details myself. Your way clearly hasn't worked. Your incompetence may have destroyed any lead that we may have had to her." I wanted her angry. Angry people make mistakes. She was by far my most important lead, despite being my employer. I looked back down at my terminal. I waived my my hand vaguely in the direction of the door without looking.

"You may go. Call in the first interview."

She sat there, frozen in shock. She then lept from the chair and very nearly ripped the glass door from its metal hinges.

"ZHANG!" she screamed. "In here, NOW!"

The young man who stumbled into my office a few minutes later was visibly trembling, and clearly didn't have a clue what was going on. His day was about to get much worse through no fault of his own. I should have felt sorry for him.

Darwin slunk in after him, then lept up and took up his customary post on my desk. Zhang nearly jumped out of his skin at the site of a three foot long black cat (not including his tail) reclining in front him. Darwin's eyes fixed on Zhang, unblinking.

"Sit," I said without looking up. I read for another minute or so, then looked up from my terminal. I grabbed my mobile and keyed up an application I had installed. I pushed the mobile towards him. "Scan your chip, please."

He hesitated. "S-sorry?" He was fragile this one.

"You left hand, son. Pass it over the scanner."

His hand was shaking as his hand reached out to hover briefly above the mobile. A small green light blinked.

"That'll do." I looked back to my terminal. "'John' Zhang Chaoxiang. Employed at 3p Mining & Refining for three years. Clerical support." So, not textiles after all.

"Y-yes..." he replied quietly.

"Tell me about what you are working on right now."

"I am just clerical sir... I just do what they hand me to do sir..."

"Which is..."

"I am transcribing the notes of an interview, sir. I think it is about a new shuttle design, but it is hard to be sure. I don't understand much of what is said. I just write what I hear."

"I see." I said. "Do you know who I am?"

"N-N-No," he stammered.

"And here you sit divulging your company's secrets to a complete stranger."

His eyes bulged. "But... she said to come and see you!"

"What else did she tell you, son?"

His mouth worked open and closed a few times, no sound escaping. Finally he whispered. "Nothing."

"I see." I started writing notes again. I looked at my terminal again and read his employee number out quietly to myself, writing it down as well.

"That is all. You may go." I didn't look up.

"B-But sir... about the shuttle. I am sorry sir. I shouldn't have said anything. I am in trouble?"

"Go. Now."

"But..."

"Darwin," I said.

My personal nightmare in black rose from his resting place, still staring unblinkingly at Zhang. Darwin hissed, arching his back, which on a cat his size was impressive. Zhang yelped and ran out to the room, whimpering.

"Next!" I called out before the door closed